Solved: Need advice on selling SaaS with no ad budget

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out. Happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance on getting leads for your B2B SaaS product, especially with a limited budget and network.

It's a tough gig, selling B2B SaaS without loads of cash...

Selling B2B software is inherently more challenging than B2C, and doing it without a significant budget for advertising or a strong existing network adds another layer of difficulty. B2B sales cycles are typically much longer – businesses don't usually make impulsive software purchases. They involve multiple decision-makers, lengthy evaluation processes, and require a higher degree of trust.

The cost per lead or customer acquisition cost (CAC) in B2B is also generally much higher than in B2C. Ad platforms like LinkedIn, which are often great for reaching specific business decision-makers, can be quite expensive. Google Search Ads can work if people are actively searching for solutions like yours, but competition for relevant keywords can drive costs up.

So, you're right to be thinking about how to get leads without pouring a ton of money into ads upfront. It's definately doable, but it requires a different approach, often focusing on building relationships and authority over time, or tapping into existing communities.

Organic and Low-Cost Channels: Where to Start When Budget is Tight

Given your situation with a limited ad budget, I'd strongly recommend focusing your initial efforts on organic and low-cost channels. This is often where you can get your first users, gather feedback, and start building momentum without breaking the bank. It requires investing time and effort instead of cash, but it's a viable path.

One of the best ways to get visibility for a new SaaS product, especially if it's innovative or targets early adopters, is listing it on relevant directories and communities. Sites like Product Hunt, Indie Hackers, Capterra, and Betalist are frequented by people actively looking for new software solutions. Getting featured or just listed on these platforms can drive initial traffic and sign-ups. For Product Hunt, put effort into your launch day strategy – get your network (even if small) to support you. Indie Hackers is great for connecting with other founders and potential users in a more casual setting. Capterra and similar review sites become more important as you get established and gather reviews, but getting listed early can still help with discovery.

Social media groups and communities related to your industry or the problem your software solves can also be valuable. Find relevant groups on platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, or even Reddit. The key here is to participate genuinely. Don't just drop links to your product. Engage in discussions, answer questions, and provide value. If appropriate and allowed by the group rules, you might mention your software as a potential solution *when it's truly relevant* to a problem being discussed. Building credibility takes time, and you need to respect the community rules, otherwise you'll just get banned.

Content marketing and SEO is another path, though it's definitely a long-term game and requires consistent effort. If potential customers are searching for information related to the pain points your software addresses, creating high-quality blog posts, guides, or videos can attract organic traffic. You'd need to do keyword research to understand what terms people are using. For instance, if your SaaS helps small businesses manage invoices, you might write articles about "best invoicing practices for small business" or "how to choose accounting software". This traffic might not convert immediately, but it helps build awareness and positions you as an authority. It's not a quick fix for lead generation but builds an asset over time.

Finally, consider Public Relations (PR). While often thought of as expensive, targeted outreach to industry blogs, podcasts, or journalists who cover SaaS or your specific niche can result in free publicity. Look for writers who have covered similar topics or products. Craft a compelling story about what makes your software unique and why it's relevant to their audience. A well-placed article can drive a significant spike in traffic and sign-ups.

These organic methods take time and effort, but they are essential for building a sustainable lead generation engine, especially when paid advertising isn't an option from day one.

When Paid Ads Come Into Play (and the Contact Details Question)

While you want to avoid high ad spend initially, it's worth understanding how paid channels fit in later. When you do have some budget, paid advertising allows for quicker results and scalability that organic methods don't always offer.

For B2B SaaS, LinkedIn Ads are often the go-to because of the precise targeting options based on job title, industry, company size, etc. You can target decision-makers directly. However, as mentioned, the cost per click (CPC) and cost per lead (CPL) are typically higher than on other platforms. Different ad formats like Sponsored Content (image, video, carousel ads) and Conversation Ads (direct messages) are available. Lead Gen Forms, which pre-fill user data, often result in lower CPLs but potentially less qualified leads compared to sending traffic to your own landing page.

Google Search Ads work well if there's strong search intent for solutions like yours. If businesses are actively searching for "your type of software" or "alternatives to competitor X", you can place your ads directly in front of them. This captures demand that already exists. Keyword research is vital here to identify the terms your ideal customers use. This is often lower funnel traffic, meaning they are closer to making a purchase decision.

Meta Ads (Facebook/Instagram) can sometimes work for B2B, particularly for reaching small business owners or using interest-based targeting related to professional development or business topics. However, the targeting is less granular than LinkedIn for specific B2B roles, and people are generally not in a "business mindset" when browsing Facebook, so conversion rates can be lower for high-ticket B2B products.

With any paid channel, especially with a limited budget, you need a highly optimised landing page that clearly articulates your value proposition and has a strong call to action (e.g., "Start Free Trial", "Request Demo"). Your offer needs to be compelling – a free trial is often essential for SaaS, especially if your competition offers one. My experience working with SaaS clients shows that a free trial is usually the best way to get people in the door.

Regarding your question about getting direct contact details like phone numbers or WhatsApp from LinkedIn: this isn't a standard practice within ethical digital advertising or lead generation platforms like LinkedIn itself. Platforms like Sales Navigator or tools like Apollo.io and ZoomInfo are typically used for building targeted lists for outreach *through their platforms* (like InMail on LinkedIn) or for identifying companies and roles to target with ads. Attempting to scrape personal contact information outside of what users willingly provide (e.g., via a lead form) can run into serious data privacy issues (like GDPR in Europe or similar regulations elsewhere) and isn't something I'd recommend or have experience with in a compliant ad strategy. Focus on getting leads through sanctioned methods on platforms – getting users to sign up for a trial, request a demo, or fill out a lead form.

Summary of Recommended Actions

Here's a quick overview of where I think you should focus your efforts initially:

Transitioning from organic efforts to paid advertising requires careful planning and sufficient budget to see results in the B2B space. It's about building a pipeline and nurturing leads, which often takes more time and touchpoints than B2C.

Ultimately, getting those first leads for B2B SaaS without a large budget is about being resourceful, patient, and consistently putting your product and its value proposition in front of the right people, even if that's one community post or directory listing at a time.

Considering Expert Help

Navigating the complexities of B2B lead generation, especially in a competitive SaaS market and with budget limitations, can be challenging. Understanding which channels are right for your specific product and target audience, how to optimise your website and offer for conversions, and how to potentially scale with paid ads later on requires specific expertise.

Sometimes, getting an outside perspective from someone who's worked with many SaaS businesses can highlight opportunities or pitfalls you might miss. If you'd like to explore this further and get tailored advice for your product and situation, we're happy to offer a free consultation to discuss things in more detail.

Regards,
Team @ Lukas Holschuh